Father time got no chance against these guys.
An NBA player's peak is said to be at 27 to 32 years old, but there are just some who can do better than that.
They say peak years are when men are separated from boys, but being 33 years old and above and still among the best stars is another tier.
Here are the five best NBA players above 35. These individuals still managed to play significant minutes and were crucial to their team's success.
1. Lebron James
There's almost no honorable NBA statistics that Lebron James is not part of. The league's top scorer of all time also has one of the most remarkable seasons at age 35. In his year 17, he won the NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers and was adjudged the Finals MVP.
He finished the season averaging 25.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 10 assists during the regular season. He even elevated his game come playoff time, recording 27.6 PPG, 10 RPG, and 8.3 APG.
It should not be lost that he was an MVP candidate during the COVID-19-delayed 2019-2020 season, placing second to Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks. He was only the fourth player over 30 to average 25 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds.
2. Stephen Curry
Chef Curry turned 35 before the start of the playoffs last season, and it looked like he never missed a beat as he led the Golden State Warriors to the Western Conference semifinals.
He finished the regular season of 2023 with 29.4 points per game while grabbing 6.1 rebounds and dishing out 6.3 assists.
He was the Dubs' undisputed leader during the 7-game affair with the Sacramento Kings in the first round and their 2-4 loss to the Lakers.
He finished the playoffs with much better stats from the regular season - 30.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 6.1 APG.
In this 2023-2024 season, Curry is not done setting records. He recently became the oldest player to average 30 points through his first 10 games of a season in NBA history.
Read more: 5 Takeaways From Milwaukee Bucks' Loss to the Pacers
3. Karl Malone
Karl Malone is among the few NBA players who can challenge Lebron's peak longevity. He retired at 41, but his body and dominance remained in his later 30s.
He averaged at least 20 points per game in his last five seasons with the Utah Jazz. He averaged a double-double when he reached 35 in the 1997-1998 season by recording 27 PPG and 10.3 RPG.
His best seasons are arguably the ones when he was already 35 years old when he led the Jazz to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances from 1998 to 1999. He won his second season MVP award at the age of 36.
They lost both Finals series to the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan.
4. Wilt Chamberlain
Chamberlain is a statistical god in the NBA, so, normally, he is on this list.
The 7'1 center played his last few years with the Los Angeles Lakers. Before retiring in 1973, he earned his second championship in 1972 while winning his first NBA Finals MVP when the Lakers beat the New York Knicks in five games.
During this season, he only averaged 14.8 PPG in the regular season and 14.7 in the post-season. Those numbers might not be outstanding, but his rebounding average will probably never be duplicated. He snatched 19.2 rebounds a game in the elimination round and elevated it to 21 per game in the playoffs.
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
When Wilt retired, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar inherited the throne. He played four seasons for the Lake Show until he was 42.
His best season was when he was 38 years old in the 1985 season.
Kareem led the way for the Lakers by averaging 21, 8, and 4 on his way to his second Finals MVP. His first Finals MVP was from 14 years ago when he was still with the Bucks.
Related article: Shaquille O'Neal - Ranking the Best Teams He Has Played For
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